Best Friend? Try Family
by anxious.soul
Summary: Rhodey and Tony's adventures at MIT. Just a random, cute little one-shot of the two at College/University. (Sort of inspired by a post). Rated T for swearing.


**Sort of inspired by this post I found on Pinterest:  
"Young!Tony wearing large sweaters and walking around with his hair all messed up, ready to fight when people challenge him, works until 5 AM in the morning when he has class at 8 AM, lives from and in his coffee mug, sleeps like a cat on top of Rhodey's bed despite his being ten feet away, wears glasses even though he doesn't want to, the main reason why he wears them is because Rhodey says he looks cute in them, loves cuddles and will always look or Rhodey to give him cuddles. Rhodey always gives them to him because Tony is his smol and he's protective of his smol."**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marve, unfortunately.  
**

 **Set during Tony and Rhodey's MIT years. So before the movies and all.**

 **Warnings: Swearing. Adorable Tony (?)**

 **Crossposted on my AO3, which is anxious_soul**

* * *

His father had been against him sharing a dorm room. Tony could understand…but that didn't mean he agreed. After many arguments, the two male Stark's came to an agreement that Tony would be allowed a roommate, but if anything _little_ or otherwise happened, then he'd get his own room. Neither parent knew why Tony had been so against having his own room and the fifteen-year-old never told them. That was his secret. Why would he want to tell his parents that he was lonely and wanted to _try_ and make a friend? It's not like they'd care or understand.

His roommate was, of course, a few of years older than him, but within the first few days of them sharing a dorm and getting over the awkwardness of meeting a new person, they quickly became friends. His roommate? James Rupert Rhodes or 'Rhodey' as everyone called the man. Said man quickly began to realise that now that Tony was in his life, nothing would be the same again. But it was worth it. From a roommate to a best friend within the space of three days, the two would remain friends until they were old and crippled.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

"Tony." Said teenager could _feel_ the exasperation more than he could hear it as his (only and first ever) best friend sighed from behind him,

"What, Rhodey? I'm busy. I'm _super_ close to finishing my robot!" Tony exclaimed without turning around,

"The competition isn't for another five months."

"Well, this is my prototype. My model. The real DUM-E will be much bigger -bigger than me!" He explained gesturing wildly as he looked at the small prototype,

"Anything's bigger than you, Tones. But, that's not the point, when did you last sleep _and_ eat? No, coffee _does not_ count." Despite the small teenager not looking at him, Rhodey could sense the pout, seconds later Tony turned to look at his friend,

"What day is it?"

"Tuesday." There was a slight pause,

"Okay, technically I have _slept_ and _eaten_ per se."

"Uh huh." The man muttered with disbelief, "Then how long have you slept and what have you eaten?"

"…Well, I had a really long blink… three days ago…and I had a breakfast bar…yesterday?"

"Are you asking or telling?" The boy pouted making Rhodey's chest clench at it's adorableness,

"…telling…"

"Right. Come on. Bed time and food."

"But!"

"No buts." Rhodey walked over and picked Tony up, throwing the light boy over his shoulders,

"This is kidnapping!"

"No, it isn't."

"Rhodey, I demand that you put me down!"

"If you sleep and eat now, I'll cuddle." The young man offered as he walked through the corridors away from the workshop that Tony had been in (his father may have let Tony have a roommate, but he'd paid for the Stark heir to have his own workshop installed…mostly so no one could enter and steal the boys' work…Tony made certain that Rhodey could enter though, not that his dad knew), towards their dorm. Anyone who had seen the pair just shook their heads. It was quite a common thing to see with those two after all.

"…I yield." Tony murmured as he gave in and stopped struggling, "The cuddles better be good." Rhodey said nothing, but he sure was grinning victoriously.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

It was the Christmas holidays. People were leaving to go home. Except for Tony. He just sat at his desk, pretending to work on a small piece of his robot that wasn't big or messy or loud enough that he had to work in his workshop, as he listened to Rhodey talk on the phone to what the younger teenager assumed was the black man's mother. He was right. Of course, he was.

"You alright, Tones?" Rhodey asked when he came off of the phone and saw his sad-looking friend,

"Yes! Of course, I am! Why wouldn't I be?" He exclaimed with a fake smile,

"I'm not a moron, Tony."

"…Fine, I'm a bit upset that I'm spending Christmas here alone."

"Now where did you get that idea?"

"You're off home…and I'm not." Tony answered slowly in a confused way,

"Nope, you're coming home with me. Pack a bag, kiddo. My family want to meet you." The grin that grew on Tony's face made Rhodey's heart clench at the surprise and happiness that spread across the young boys face.

Mama Rhodes took an instant liking to the young boy. She had all but adopted Tony. Actually, it seemed that each member of the Rhodes family had adopted Tony (yes that included James/Rhodey),

"Thank you for having me over for Christmas, Mrs Rhodes, and I'm sorry I didn't buy anything for anyone other than Rhodey, I didn't know I was coming, but I can buy you all something and have it sent over."

"Oh, nonsense!" She exclaimed as the family sat at the table that Christmas for dinner, "You don't have to buy us a single thing!"

"Well, you could sign these adoption papers…" James' older sister, Kathleen said half-jokingly and half-seriously much to everyone's amusement.

By the time Tony and Rhodey had to return to college, the younger boy was sad. He wanted to stay with this happy and loving family that had all but adopted him. Bitterly, Tony couldn't help but envy Rhodey for having such an incredible family. The Rhodes were what Tony had always dreamed about. He'd always wanted a loving, caring family that was there for you when you needed it. Tony's own family…they weren't like that. Not really. His mother was more open, but neither of his parents knew how to communicate with him, which was why Tony himself was quite bad at communicating, but Rhodey said he was getting better.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

Tony was sixteen and he stood in front of the judges and audience as he showed off DUM-E, his helper bot that he had made for the 4th Annual M.I.T. Robot Design Award. He was proud of his creation and everyone could see as it shone in his eyes.

He won. Tony came first in the competition. A herd of people rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. It wasn't his biological family, but rather the Rhodes, who had claimed him as their own. They took him out for dinner that night after Tony had been forced to do some press, they stopped him from paying, saying it was their treat. The sixteen-year-old smiled and laughed the whole evening. Rhodey himself shared a look with his mother, the two smiled at each other before going back to watching and listening to Tony. The Rhodes listened. They really listened, which was something Tony couldn't say his own dad had ever done. That night, the teenager went to sleep with a large smile.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

As the next year went by, Rhodey began to notice that his sweaters and hoodies always went missing.

"Hey, Tones, have you seen my blue sweater?"

"Can't say I have," Tony answered from where he sat on the bed drinking coffee from a very large mug, his friends turned and stared at him, disbelief in his eyes.

"Really. Funny you should say that when I am in fact staring right at said sweater. Hand it over."

"Nope."

"Tony."

"I don't wanna."

"Come on, I need it."

"Why?"

"Because I do!"

"You tell me that that is not an answer and therefore, you can't have the sweater back." Tony's eyes began to widen,

"No. No no no. Don't do it."

"Please, can I keep the sweater, Rhodey. Pretty please with a cherry on top."

"Curse you and those damn puppy eyes. Fine, you can wear it today _but_ you _can't_ keep it!" The man growled,

"Thank you, Rhodey!" Tony smiled innocently as he placed his coffee down and hugged his friend showing just how large the sweater was on him,

"It doesn't even fit you! You look like a five-year-old trying on his dad's clothes!"

"Well, you did try to adopt me that one time, so technically you could be my dad." Tony snarked back and the two burst out into laughter.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

Rhodey was never surprised when he briefly woke up to a shift in his bed. Usually, it was at the foot of the bed and it was always Tony, who would be half asleep. Sometimes the older student would pull Tony up and into the bed and the two would snuggle, other times Rhodey would be too tired to move the boy that would curl up at the bottom of his bed like a cat. He had also gotten used to the odd hours his friend kept and it didn't bother him. Sometimes he would wake up just as Tony was going to bed, other times he would be going to bed and Tony would be working. Far too many times, however, Tony would work until stupid o'clock and then get ready for lessons. These were the days when the young student would go on a work-binge and forget the fact that he was only human and needed sleep and food.

 **—LINE BREAK—**

He shouldn't laugh. He knew he shouldn't. Tony stood there with the biggest pout possible as he stared at Rhodey, who was trying hard not to laugh.

"I knew it! I look stupid!" Tony exclaimed,

"No. No. I'm laughing at your expression. Honestly, Tones, you look fucking adorable with glasses on."

"I look silly."

"No, you look fucking adorable. Honest. I'm not lying, I'm withholding the urge to wrap you up in my duvet and never let you leave."

"Fine. I'll wear them. But only for you, Honeybear."

 **—LINE BREAK—**

Then Tony was graduating. Top of his year and only at seventeen. Rhodey wouldn't be graduating for another couple of years and that had the young graduate worried. When Tony was given his diploma, there were a lot of cheers because it was the Stark Heir, not because it was _Tony_. Though the biggest and loudest cheering came from the Rhodes family. All of them had come to congratulate the boy and it made Tony grin when he spotted them in the crowd. The boy felt some sadness as he realised his own parents hadn't come to congratulate him, but the fact that his surrogate family all took the time to be there for him despite work and all, made him forget about his own parents as he was overcome with glee and happiness.

Later that night, Tony laid in Rhodey's arms, thinking it was the last time they'd ever cuddle. The last time he'd ever see his best friend.

"Rhodey."

"Yes, Tones?"

"…Are we going to still be friends?" His voice was small and shy causing Rhodey to sit up and look at his friend,

"Who else would steal my clothes?" He joked before his voice fell serious, "Of course we are, Tony. You know you can come here and visit me anytime and once I'm out of college, things may be difficult due to my career, but I'll always be there for you. Never doubt it. I thought I told you, we're friends until we're old, crippled and dead-"

"Then we'll be ghost friends." Tony finished with a soft smile on his lips,

"You're stuck with me, Tones."

"And you're stuck with me." Rhodey ruffled the smaller man's hair before the two fell asleep with gentle smiles.

* * *

 **Anyway,**  
 **Thank you for reading,**  
 **Hope you enjoyed this,**  
 **Please review,**  
 **No hate -don't like, don't read**

 **Bye~**


End file.
